Liverpool’s manager commented on the Egyptian player’s non=use in the last game.
Liverpool manager Arne Slott commented on Mohamed Salah’s situation. The Reds forward was an unused substitute in the last game. The possibility of the Egyptian being left out of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), which takes place between December and January, was also discussed.
The reigning champions beat Nuno Espírito Santo’s West Ham this Sunday (2-0) . Salah was called up but did not participate in the match. It was the first time he watched the entire game from the substitutes’ bench this season.
When questioned about the matter, Arne Slot, in a preview of the Sunderland game (this Wednesday) , downplayed the situation. He normalized the player’s dissatisfaction at not playing but assured that he behaved in a “professional” manner.
“Of course, a player isn’t happy if he’s not playing. He wasn’t the only one who wasn’t happy about not being a starter, I can assure you. That’s normal, but the way he behaved was what you would expect from a professional like him. He was very supportive of his teammates, he behaved very well during the day and also yesterday in training,” he began by saying.
“You can’t be a player who’s available every three days and play at that high level if you let your emotions get the better of you. Mo is very disciplined, he knows what to do to stay in shape and, regardless of whether he plays well or badly, whether he plays or not, he will always be a top-level professional — and that’s what he’s been for the last two days,” he added.
Salah’s presence at the Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place between December 21st and January 18th in Morocco, was also discussed. The player, who is in his ninth season with Liverpool, will report to the Egyptian national team on December 15th, Slot confirmed.
“It’s December 15th, but, as always in these situations, there’s a player involved, there’s a nation involved Egypt, in this case, and the club, and there are always discussions about what’s best for all three of us. This is nothing new, it’s always like this. Besides, when they come back, when they go. I think FIFA said that the 15th is the final date a player must be released,” he concluded.